Realistic (album)

Last updated
Realistic
Realistic.jpeg
Studio album by
Ivy
ReleasedFebruary 14, 1995 (1995-02-14)
Recorded1994–95
Genre Indie pop
Length44:47
Label Seed Records [1]
Producer
Ivy chronology
Lately
(1994)
Realistic
(1995)
Apartment Life
(1997)
Singles from Apartment Life
  1. "Get Enough"
    Released: 1994
  2. "Don't Believe a Word"
    Released: 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]

Realistic is the debut album by American indie pop band Ivy. [6] It was released on February 14, 1995, by Seed Records. Musically, the album followed the material featured on Ivy's previous release, Lately ; it was produced by Kurt Ralske with Ivy members Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger.

Contents

Realistic received positive reviews from critics upon release, but was commercially unsuccessful; the album did not peak on any record chart, nor did the singles released from the album.

Three singles were released from the album. "Get Enough," the album's lead single, was released in 1994 to general acclaim from critics, especially in the United Kingdom, where it was promoted heavily. Single "Don't Believe a Word" was released in 1995 to highly positive reviews, but was less successful than "Get Enough." Promotional single "Beautiful" was also released in 1995. [7]

Critical reception

Realistic received mixed to favorable reviews from critics upon release. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide called the album "candy-coated by Chase's chiming guitars and awash in Durand's lovelorn daydreams." [5]

Singles

"Get Enough" was released as the album's lead single in 1994, followed by the release of Ivy's first extended play, Lately . The single received moderate success in the UK, where Melody Maker named the track "Single of the Week" shortly after its release. [8]

"Don't Believe a Word" was the second single released from the album in 1995. The single was released in several formats, including as a CD single accompanied by B-sides "By Myself" and "An Ordinary." [9]

"Beautiful" was the third and final single from Realistic, released in 1995 as a promotional single.

Track listing

All songs written by Ivy and produced by Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger, with additional production by Kurt Ralske.

No.TitleLength
1."Get Enough"2:41
2."No Guarantee"3:06
3."Decay"3:53
4."15 Seconds"3:35
5."Everyday"3:45
6."Point of View"4:24
7."Don't Believe a Word"2:48
8."Beautiful"2:32
9."Shallow"3:33
10."In the Shadows"4:19
11."Dying Star"3:46
12."Over"6:34
Total length:44:47

Related Research Articles

Ivy was an American indie pop band composed of Andy Chase, Adam Schlesinger, and Dominique Durand. They were active between 1994 and 2012.

<i>Apartment Life</i> 1997 studio album by Ivy

Apartment Life is the second studio album by American band Ivy, released by Atlantic Records on October 6, 1997. After being dropped from Seed Records following the release of Realistic in 1995, the group signed to Atlantic due to connections that Adam Schlesinger had with the record label. In addition to band members Andy Chase and Schlesinger, the album was produced by Lloyd Cole and Peter Nashel. In contrast to their previous releases, such as Lately (1994) and Realistic, Apartment Life is a pop album with varying forms of production consisting of keyboards, brass, and string instruments. Some of the compositions featured on the record were compared to the works of My Bloody Valentine, Pixies, and the Smiths. To promote the album, Ivy embarked on a series of promotional tours across the United States.

<i>In the Clear</i> 2005 studio album by Ivy

In the Clear is the fifth studio album by American band Ivy. It was released on March 1, 2005 in the United States by Nettwerk. Considered the "follow-up" to Ivy's third studio album Long Distance (2000), it continues the intimate and refined approach of modern indie pop and indie rock music. Band members Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger produced the album, while musician Steve Osborne co-produced one of the album's tracks.

<i>Long Distance</i> (Ivy album) 2000 studio album by Ivy

Long Distance is the third studio album by the American band Ivy. It was released on November 8, 2000, in Japan, while the US version was released on July 10, 2001, by Nettwerk. A departure from Ivy's previous studio albums Realistic (1995) and Apartment Life (1997), Long Distance was influenced by new wave, but maintained Ivy's signature blend of indie pop and indie rock music. Ivy collaborated with long-time producer Peter Nashel for two of the album's tracks, while the rest were written and produced entirely by members Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger.

<i>All Hours</i> 2011 studio album by Ivy

All Hours is the sixth and final studio album by American band Ivy, released by Nettwerk on September 20, 2011. Following 2005's In the Clear, the members took a hiatus from music, allowing Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger to work on side projects and Dominique Durand and Chase to begin raising a family. After reuniting in 2008, they started work on a project exploring a new sound following concerns that their songs would become obsolete and unimaginative due to their break. All Hours features 11 songs written and produced by Chase and Schlesinger; they take influence from electropop, indie pop and synth-pop music. Unlike their previous albums, All Hours experiments more with electronic music and contains tracks reminiscent of the music from the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edge of the Ocean</span> 2001 single by Ivy

"Edge of the Ocean" is a song by the American band Ivy for their third studio album, Long Distance (2000). Lead singer Dominique Durand wrote the song with band members Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, who both produced it. It was released as the album's lead single in the United States in June 2001, through Nettwerk. Various physical singles were distributed throughout the following year, in addition to an adult alternative airplay release in the US. The song is an electronic-inspired trip hop pop ballad with minimal and simplistic lyrics. Durand's vocals were described as childlike and compared to those of Karen Carpenter. American musician Michael Hampton, a member of Durand and Chase's other band Paco, contributes to the track's instrumentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Doesn't Love You</span> 2000 single by Ivy

"Lucy Doesn't Love You" is a song by American band Ivy for their third studio album, Long Distance (2000). Lead singer Dominique Durand wrote the song with band members Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, who both produced it. In 2000, it was chosen as the album's lead single in Japan and distributed via Chase's Unfiltered Records label. Musically, the song was described as a melodic, horn-led trip hop and synth-pop track. Its lyrics find a woman confronting a lovestruck man who desires a different woman, named Lucy, who is not in love with him. American musician Eric Matthews performs trumpet on "Lucy Doesn't Love You", alongside Paco member Michael Hampton, who contributes to the song's instrumentation.

"Disappointed" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released as the second single from their third studio album, Long Distance (2000). It was released exclusively in the United States on July 10, 2001 by Nettwerk. The release was simultaneous with the release of '"Edge of the Ocean". The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, while production was handled by the latter two and Peter Nashel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is the Day (Ivy song)</span> 1998 single by Ivy

"This Is the Day" is a song by American band Ivy, included on their second studio album, Apartment Life (1997). It was released as the record's third single in the United States on October 19, 1998 by 550 Music following its inclusion in the 1998 American comedy film There's Something About Mary. The group had just been dropped by Atlantic Records but eventually signed to 550 Music after they reissued the parent album. The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, with the latter two producing it. It is a pop and alternative pop song that features the use of horns and was compared to the works of the Smiths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Hate December</span> Single by American band Ivy

"I Hate December" is a song by American band Ivy, released on January 12, 1996 by Scratchie Records. The track came from the band's first extended play, Lately (1994). It was written and produced by Andy Chase and Adam Schlesinger, while Dominique Durand also contributed to the lyrics and Peter Nashel handled additional production. While the version that appeared on Lately was not released as a commercial single, a remix was created and distributed as a CD single instead.

<i>Guestroom</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Ivy

Guestroom is the fourth studio album by the band Ivy. It was released on September 10, 2002 by Minty Fresh and Unfiltered Records. Unlike the group's previous albums, the album consisted entirely of cover songs, without any new material. Some of the songs featured on the album were previously released as B-sides to the band's singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Don't Know Anything</span> 1999 single by Ivy

"You Don't Know Anything" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released by Atlantic Records on April 29, 1999 as the fourth and final single from their second studio album, Apartment Life (1997). The single was made available exclusively in Europe and featured the same two B-sides as previous single, "This Is the Day", which had been released by 550 Music in Austria. The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase while production was handled by the latter two and Peter Nashel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Get Enough (Ivy song)</span> 1994 single by Ivy

"Get Enough" is the debut single by American band Ivy, released in 1994 by Seed Records. It was included as the opening track for their first studio album, Realistic (1995). It was composed by band members Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, and produced by the latter two and Kurt Ralske. The song was conceived while the band was creating material for their first extended play, Lately (1994), a project that Durand was initially reluctant to work on. Its production, along with the rest of Realistic, was inspired by French musicians and exhibits a folk rock and pop sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful (Ivy song)</span> 1995 promotional single by Ivy

"Beautiful" is a song by American band Ivy from their debut studio album Realistic (1995). A remixed version of the song was issued as a promotional single and distributed as a CD single in 1995 by Seed Records. It features an acoustic version of the trio's single "Don't Believe a Word" as a bonus track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost in the Sun (song)</span> 2012 single by Ivy

"Lost in the Sun" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released as the third and final single from their sixth studio album, All Hours (2011). It was issued in the United States on April 10, 2012 as a digital download by Nettwerk and Unfiltered Records. The single was written and produced by Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase.

<i>Lately</i> (EP) 1994 EP by Ivy

Lately is the first extended play recorded by American band Ivy, released in May 1994 by Seed Records. Developed in the same year as the formation of the group, Lately is a French pop album with acoustic and general pop influences. Originally conceived by members Dominique Durand and Andy Chase, the pair recruited Adam Schlesinger for additional production and lyrics. Sessions took place in New York City and Paris, where they recorded four original tracks and a cover of Orange Juice's 1984 song "I Guess I'm Just a Little Too Sensitive".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distant Lights (song)</span> 2011 single by Ivy

"Distant Lights" is a song by American indie rock band Ivy. It was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, All Hours (2011). It was issued in the United States on June 7, 2011 as a digital download by Nettwerk. The single was written and produced by Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fascinated (Ivy song)</span> 2011 single by Ivy

"Fascinated" is a song by American band Ivy. It was released as the second single from their sixth studio album, All Hours (2011), and made available for digital download on July 26, 2011 by Nettwerk in the United States. The song was written and produced by both Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase. An electronica song, "Fascinated" uses keyboards and a repetitive, simple chorus throughout its duration; Ivy's take on the production was called "European" by one critic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivy discography</span>

American band Ivy has released six studio albums, one extended play (EP), fifteen singles, one promotional single, and eight music videos. After signing to Seed Records, Ivy released their debut EP, Lately, in May 1994. Their debut studio album Realistic was released in February 1995 and produced the singles "Get Enough" and "Don't Believe a Word", along with "Beautiful", which was issued as a promotional single. In 1995, a music video for "I Hate December", a song from Lately, was filmed and released. The song was then distributed as a single in January 1996. Ivy eventually left Seed and signed to Atlantic Records to record their second album Apartment Life, released in October 1997. To promote the album, "The Best Thing", "I've Got a Feeling", "This Is the Day", and "You Don't Know Anything" were made available as singles. Their third album Long Distance was released in Japan in 2000, and the next year in the United States. Three singles were promoted, including "Edge of the Ocean" which peaked at number 160 on the UK Singles Chart, marking their only appearance on that chart.

References

  1. "Fountains of Wayne and Ivy's Adam Schlesinger". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015.
  2. "Ivy". Trouser Press. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  3. "Realistic - Ivy | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  4. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 514.
  5. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 582.
  6. "Ivy | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  7. "ivy – Discography". thebandivy. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  8. Wilson, MacKenzie. "Ivy: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  9. "Discography • IVY • Official Website".